U.S. Department of Education Senior Officials to Participate in National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) 2011 Capacity-Building Workshop in Orlando

Eduardo Ochoa, assistant secretary for Postsecondary Education, and Greg Darnieder, special assistant and senior advisor on the college access initiative, will address the NCCEP 2011 Capacity-Building Workshop in Orlando, Fla., on Monday and Tuesday February 14 and 15 at 8:15 a.m., respectively. Ochoa will discuss the Administration’s initiatives to increase college access for low-income students, and how programs such as GEAR UP can contribute to achieving the President’s 2020 goal to once again lead the world in college graduates. Darnieder will discuss the importance of collaborating resources among schools and various college access programs in furthering student success in higher education.

Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) provides funds to states and partnerships to increase the number of low-income students preparing to enter and succeed in postsecondary education. Currently funded at $323.2 million, GEAR UP grants provide support services over a six year period to entire grades of students, usually beginning in middle school. The NCCEP workshop will bring together some 1,300 members of the GEAR UP community to share ideas and strategies for meeting their program goals.